A/N: Please please please please forgive me for not updating as soon as i can. I've been busy with my senior year in college, lately. OH AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW ESPECIALLY THE LATER CHAPTERS. I really need to know that people are still reading my story. God, I sound pathetic. BUT PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. Anyways, enjoy! BTW all the text in italics are Louie's thoughts. I didn't put the 'thought Louie' part after it because it troubles me. LOL. Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Target

The sunlight beamed through the hole in the ceiling made by Lady Sylphia. The SeeDs inside the TV station remained silent, the adrenaline starting to run out in their systems. They failed. The children gathered around the circle beam of light from the sky. The TV station was dark. Electricity was cut off from the TV station after the broadcast. Louie had blood oozing from the laceration on his right arm and the back of his shirt had a gaping hole from his wings. He stood up and his face was seen in the light. Beads of sweat filled his forehead and his jet-raven hair lost its luster and form. His lion heart necklace glistened in the morning light.

"Junction your GFs back. A party will be waiting for us downstairs." his expression was strong and emotionless. The mission was far from over.

"We have to find her, Louie." Tears were welling in the eyes of the blonde mercenary as he looked up from his sitting position. His face was covered by the beam of light from the outside. The gunshot wound on his shin was starting to burn. The bullet didn't do much damage to his leg, it just grazed over his skin and continued its trajectory. Nevertheless, the wound from the friction was fresh and vulnerable.

A white glow emanated from Louie's body to everyone in the party. A soft breeze followed it and in an instant, the party felt rejuvenated.

"Medic." said Louie as he walked towards an empty spot in the dark room. At Louie's command, Elaine and Celine treated Carlos's wound on the shin.

The leader was silent. He knew he failed Sylphia. He failed all of them. He even knew he failed his mother with the act of opening his wings in front of the one person they probably would never trust. He should have known it was a trap right from the beginning. It was obvious that the soldiers let them through the city. Last time they attempted to enter, the three parties had no chance against the army. It should have been more clear when the soldiers suddenly stopped attacking them. Brasque's connection to Esthar and the O-lab was neglected. The young Leonhart propped himself on the ground and bowed down. He exhaled.

"I can handle this, Celine. Attend to Louie's wounds." said Elaine as she wrapped another layer of gauze on the wound. Celine moved back, giving her partner more space and light.

Krys looked at the isolated figure at the corner of the room. His knees were wrapped by his arms and hugged to his chest. His expression was hidden in the shadows but it was clear that he was shaking. Krys was about to stand up when he felt a palm upon his shoulder.

It was Celine. She smiled at Krystof and stood up. The brown-haired girl walked over to their leader and sat down beside him, facing his wounded shoulder. Somehow, she expected to hear him crying. She knew it was so out of character but who knows? He had to snap at some point. He wasn't snapping though. He was just covering his face. She reached out to his right sleeve and in one swift move, the girl ripped it from his shirt. The boy looked up, his face was still strong, or at least it was trying to be. The girl smiled as she treated his wound. His expression softened and he smiled back.

"There." said the green-eyed girl as she covered the laceration with one more gauze. After which, she stood and helped the boy up

"I'm sorry." the boy spoke.

The girl smiled at him. She looked him in the eyes with the sincerest look she could muster up and she spoke. "No one's blaming you. We all still trust you."

In the heat of the moment, he wrapped his arms around the green-eyed girl. The hug was sudden and uncalled for. It was telling her that he needed comfort, that he needed her, and at that moment, he was grateful that he had her in his arms. She hugged him back. He started to shake and tears started to fall from his eyes to her shoulder. He wasn't the strong leader that he was supposed to be anymore. He was a boy, crying his heart out in the arms of a girl.

"I'm sorry." the boy managed to say between sobs. She said nothing. The two held the embrace until the young Leonhart stopped shaking.

"Alright, you two, break it off." Elaine shouted from behind Celine and Louie. The two quickly pulled away from the embrace, Louie wiping off the remaining droplets from his cheeks. In the darkness of the room, no one can see their flushed cheeks.

"Can Carlos walk?" Louie's expression hardened and he looked at his team. They were tired and panting but they were ready to fight.

"Yeah." The young Almasy replied as he slowly stood up. "The GF's gonna help with healing and numbing the pain."

"Then junction something and get your weapons ready. Carlos do you have any idea where the sorceress went?"

"I may have an idea. Remember back in the car? She told me she always loved Obel Lake."

"Alright. We're going to Obel Lake, then."

The party ran out of the dark room of the station and to the stairs leading to the town. They were surprised to see the streets empty. The bloodied bodies of the soldiers they obliterated were all gone. The SeeDs walked the empty streets, weapons readied seemingly for nobody. Just when they were about to reach the gates of Timber, a number of soldiers wearing silver uniforms blocked their exit.

"Esthar." said Louie as he brought out his gunblade.

"Still wearin' those flashy uniforms." Krys added.

Esthar is a greater threat to them. SeeD's training enables them to surpass the physical prowess of Galbadian soldiers but their weaponry is still out-of-date compared to Esthar's. The SeeDs had to think this through. The Esthar soldiers only had projectile weapons at their disposal. Meanwhile, the party only has two out of five projectile weapons.

Celine brought her hand to her forehead and gold dust started to materialize from the air around the soldiers.

"Carlos. You go ahead to our target destination. We'll take care of this." Louie commanded.

"No. You go to her. Get her to safety. You're the only one who can fly."

It was obviously true. I can fly. But I was not about to show these soldiers that I can. Not again. If Carlos wouldn't go and help Sylphia, then we should just fight these soldiers until we can cross the gates. Wait a minute. What about Sylphia? Would she be safe alone by the lake? They accomplished their plans, they're obviously done with her. That means they won't do anything to her anymore. Shit. No. If she finds a way to speak in public, it'll ruin them. They're done with her. That's why... they're going to kill her.

Louie exhaled. "Stand back." he said. The party complied. Feathers wrapped the sorcerer in front of the party. In one sudden motion, wings popped up from the sorcerer's back. It was his new set of wings, white feathers with black protrusions. No one knew where it came from, not even Louie. His parents hadn't seen it yet, at least in person since they had to have been watching the live broadcast from the TV Station.

In one quick motion, Louie was out of the ground and was floating in mid-air. He brought his left arm up and a few moments later, a meteor the size of a person fell in between the soldiers. That was when the combat begun, and that was when he flew off to Obel Lake.

The lake was peaceful. One can clearly see the natural beauty of the lake from above. And one can clearly see the girl that was sitting by the lake. Louie sighed in relief. He wasn't too late. He slowly landed beside the sorceress.

"Hey." Louie walked towards her and sat beside her, retracting his wings.

"I'm sorry." the sorceress replied.

"It's okay." Louie smiled at her. It looks like they're not after her. Well, at least not yet.

"No. It's not. You just revealed to the world that you're a sorcerer. That's not okay." Sylphia replied.

It is okay.

"So why did you come here?" she asked.

You were gonna get killed.

"We needed to know that you were safe." he answered

"What did you think was gonna happen to me?"

Dead.

"Just.. making sure that our client was safe." his face straightened. He was absolutely serious about seeing her as a client.

"You know, Carlos was supposed to be here." he added

"Why isn't he?" she leaned on his shoulder. He was getting uncomfortable but he couldn't move. He couldn't deny the sorceress the comfort she needs.

Did she just hug me back because she knew I needed comfort? he thought about the green-eyed girl with brown hair. How he left her there to rescue some other girl. He didn't even look at her when he flew away. Great. Guilt? Now? Really?

"Hey. Answer me." she lifted her head off his shoulder.

"I'm the only one who could fly. There were... soldiers... blocking the way."

"Galbadians?"

"Estharians."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of a vehicle stopping. The two turned around to see a SeeD vehicle. Louie was relieved. But his relief turned to worry when he saw the green-eyed, brown-haired girl he was just thinking about walk out of the car, wounded and limping and obviously fighting for the strength to stand up. He ran towards her to help her. To catch her.

He reached her but she never collapsed in his arms. Is she mad? He face was serious and worried.

"Carlos is captured. Krys is horribly injured and Elaine is treating him." she blurted out.

"What about you? Are you okay?" he asked. It wasn't supposed to be his question. He was supposed to command them to get out of here, or to fight, or to take the sorceress and run. He was supposed to ask about Carlos, to get him back. He wasn't supposed to care.

"Is she safe?" she didn't answer his question.

"I think so."

"Then let's go."

"Who's driving the vehicle?"

"Your dad."

Shit. He turned around to get Sylphia and saw something horrible. Behind the sorceress, up in the trees was a man, wearing all black and hiding behind the branches. He was watching them. He was looking at them through a scope. A scope that was attached to a sniper.

"SYLPHIA!" Louie shouted as he raised his right arm instinctively. The gun fired and he was too late. He managed to change the trajectory of the gun that was targeted at the head of the sorceress. It hit her heart instead.

Celine gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Louie ran to the sorceress who collapsed on the spot. He kneeled down beside her. Celine tried to follow him.

"No. Stay where you are." Louie exclaimed. He wasn't about to let Celine get nearer. It was too dangerous.

"What the?! Leonhart I'm the Medic!"

"Stay there Branford!" Louie shouted. The doors to the car opened and out came Squall and Rinoa Leonhart.

"Louie!" Rinoa ran towards them.

"Mom! Stop!" He stopped her just as he was approaching Celine.

"I'll take it!" Rinoa shouted back.

"No, Mom! I promised!" he replied. She understood.

Louie took Sylphia's hand. Sylphia looked at Louie. She smiled. Louie tried to smile but tears started to fall from his eyes. Sylphia had turned from the mystery girl and the royalty from Dollet to the friend they all know and love.

"We'll bring you home. You'll be okay."

"No I won't, Louie. I'm far from okay." she said. She had a smile on her face. It was as if she was expecting this.

Louie let go of her hand. He bowed down and started to sob.

"I can't do this, Sylphia. You can't die now. I won't be able to forgive myself. Carlos would be ruined. Please. You can't... You're not..."

"You guys... will be okay... without me..."

No. Carlos wouldn't. We wouldn't.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." Louie whispered.

"Don't be." she replied. "Please... Get Carlos back. For me."

He nodded before removing his gloves and holding her hand once more.

"I'm sorry I caused all this trouble." At that moment she inhaled deeply. And exhaled one last time. Her hand began to heat up. He waited for the powers to transfer to him. It did. He felt the heat transfer from her hand to his. It traveled through his body and out his other hand. His eyes flew open.

Sylphia was gone. He turned around. The power didn't go to him. It was looking for a female. and it's going to get the closest one it could find.

He stood. "CELINE!" he screamed. Celine collapsed. Squall caught her.

Everything happened too quickly that they didn't remember the gunner from behind the trees.

That was until they heard another gunshot.

And Louie fell to the ground.

A/N: OH SHIIIIIITTTT What's gonna happen next?! Is Louie dead too? Is Celine a sorceress? OMG Please R&R